<html> <head> <style></style></head> <body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'> <div><div id="SkyDrivePlaceholder"></div>> Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 16:24:56 -0400 > From: tony_anderson@usa.net > To: xxopxe@gmail.com > CC: butia-list@fing.edu.uy; yamaplos@gmail.com; iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org; christoph.derndorfer@gmail.com > Subject: Re: [IAEP] [Butia-list] XO robotics > > Hi, > > I would love to see you at the SF meeting to explain Butia to that audience.</div><div> </div><div>+1 Caryl > > It was my understanding in Montevideo, that the robot is controlled > directly from Turtle Art. For me, the really great thing you have done > is to strap the laptop on the robot platform. This is not for cute > pictures, it is really exciting for the student to see the robot obeying > his or her instructions (right or wrong). The fact that the laptop is > riding on the robot vehicle means that its movement is not limited by an > umbilical cord. > > As Yama states, we really need (for me, in English) a parts list and set > of instructions for building the robot so that it can be done by any > deployment. I had hoped that such a session would be conducted in SF as > I would dearly love to be able to set up a robot at the Saint Jacob > school in Kigali in December. Naturally, we will also need some lesson > plans for use of the robot to further the mandated curriculum in Science > (and mathematics). > > My example would be to have the student program the robot to approach a > wall as closely as possible without touching it. This would involve some > understanding of the ratio of the wheel diameter to its circumference, > the number of degrees the wheel advances for each forward step, and > whole lot of other interesting concepts. For example, such a contest > could lead to the issue of feedback; how to use a sensor so the robot > knows when it is close. Should this be visual (camera) or acoustic or > the bending of a wire or .... > > Tony > > On 09/27/2012 02:08 PM, Jorge wrote: > > On 27/09/12 13:35, Yama Ploskonka wrote:> 1) I wouldn't say better... > > rather, complementary, and certainly > > > cheaper. Visiting the Butiá pages, the only picture I see showing an MCU > > > http://www.fing.edu.uy/inco/proyectos/butia/images/pistaButia.jpg is > > > showing an Arduino. Add a motor driver, and we are well above $30, plus > > > shipping. The USBButiá board is maybe cheaper IF done in quantity by > > > experts (then add labor). > > > > Besides the microcontroller the USBButiá board provides standard > > connectors for attaching sensors. It allows autodetecting what sensor > > you connected and were (something like the NXT brick, but with a wider > > spectrum of attacheable stuff, more connectors, easier to hack, and > > plug&play). > > > > We sidestepped the motor driver issue using digital servos. > > > > > MSP430 + (L293D OR some darlington array) can be "free" if you get them > > > as samples from TI, or less than $5 when purchased, /plus shipping/, the > > > old bane. the advantage of using a darlington driver is that then you > > > may use plain DC motors, which can be free if lucky with old electronic > > > parts (beautiful gear system available in old CDROM drives) > > > > > > 2) yop - the XO "drives" the vehicle with the MSP430 option also. Now, I > > > put quote marks as I have no idea - yet - on how to send data direct > > > realtime from the XO to the robot, bypassing the MCU. What seems to be > > > happening is that Butiá depends on sending code/program to the Arduino, > > > and the the 'duino does the brains of the robot. > > > > Nop, the control runs fully on the XO. MCU only interfaces > > sensors&motors and supports the plug&play functionality. No user logic > > runs on the MCU. > > The user programs on the XO access sensors/actuators connected the MCU > > and whatever the XO provides (mic, cam, accelerometer if there is one) > > transparently. The most frequent programming environment is TurtleArte > > (kisds already know it), but there are also Python and Lua environments > > for when the problem or the user outgrows Turtle Art. > > > > In my opinion, what MCU is used is not actually important. What is > > important is the programming environment, how it interfaces with > > whatever your robot offers, and the mechanism you provide for adapting > > your robot for solving different problems. > > > > Jorge > > . > > > > _______________________________________________ > IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) > IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org > http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep </div> </div></body> </html>